Clean die enjoy finish happen live open play rain smoke start want watch stay

1. Yesterday evening I _ watched _ television.

2. I _____ my teeth three times yesterday.

3. Bernard _____ 20 cigarettes yesterday evening.

4. The concert last night _____ at 7.30 and _____............ at 10 o'clock.

5. The accident _____ last Sunday afternoon.

6. When I was a child, I _____ to be a doctor.

7. Mozart _____ from 1756 to 1791.

8. We _____ our holiday last year. We _____ at a very good hotel.

9. Today the weather is nice, but yesterday it _____

10. It was hot in the room, so I _____ the window.

11. The weather was good yesterday afternoon, so we _____ tennis.

12. William Shakespeare............ _____ in 1616.

 

- Write sentences about the past (yesterday/last week etc.).

1. He always goes to work by car. Yesterday he went to work by car.

2. They always get up early. This morning they...............................................................

3. Bill often loses his keys. He.................................................................... last Saturday.

4. I write a letter to Jane every week. Last week.............................................................

5. She meets her friends every evening. She...................................... yesterday evening.

6. I usually read two newspapers every day..................................................... yesterday.

7. They come to my house every Friday. Last Friday......................................................

8. We usually go to the cinema on Sunday.................................................... last Sunday.

9. Tom always has a shower in the morning................................................. this morning.

10. They buy a new car every year. Last year.....................................................................

11. I eat an orange every day. Yesterday...........................................................................

12. We usually do our shopping on Monday.................................................. last Monday.

13. Ann often takes photographs. Last weekend...............................................................

14. We leave home at 8.30 every morning...................................................... this morning.

- Complete these sentences with the verb in the negative.

1. I saw John but I didn’t see Mary.

2. They worked on Monday but they........ on Tuesday.

3. We went to the shop but we........... to the bank.

4. She had a pen but she......... any paper.

5. Jack did French at school but he........... German.

 

- You are asking somebody questions. Write questions with Did...?

1. I watched TV last night. And you? _____________ Did you watch TV last night?

2. I enjoyed the party. And you?......... you....................................................................?

3. I had a good holiday. And you?...............................................................................?

4. I got up early this morning. And you?........................................................................?

5. I slept well last night. And you?.................................................................................?

 

- Write questions with Who/What/How/'Why...?

I met somebody. Who did you meet....................................................................?

Harry arrived. What time................ Harry....................................................?

I saw somebody. Who................... you..............................................................?

They wanted something. What........................................................................................?

The meeting finished. What time................................................................................?

Pat went home early. Why.........................................................................................?

We had dinner. What……………………………………………..for dinner?

It cost a lot of money. How much...............................................................................?

 

- Put the verb in the correct form of the past (positive, negative or question).

I played (play) tennis yesterday but I didn’t win (not/win).

1. We.. (wait) a long time for the bus but it.................................. (not/come).

2. That's a nice shirt. Where......... (you/buy) it?

3. She. (see) me but she................................ (not/speak) to me.

4. (it/rain) yesterday?' 'No, it was a nice day.'

5. That was a stupid thing to do. Why ………… (you/do) it?

 

Verb to be (The Past Simple Tense)

WAS/WERE

Now Charlie is at work.

At midnight last night he wasn't at work.

He was in bed. He was asleep.

 

am /is (present) –> was (past):

- I am tired (now). I was tired last night.

- Is she at home (now)? Was she at home yesterday morning?

- The weather is nice today. The weather was nice yesterday.

are (present) –> were (past):

- You are late (now). You were late yesterday.

- They aren't here (now). They weren't here last Sunday.

 

positive		negative		question
I he she it	was		I he she it	was not (wasn’t)		was	I? he? she? it?
we you they	were		we you they	were not (weren’t)		were	we? you? they?

- Last year she was 22, so she is 23 now.

- When I was a child, I was afraid of dogs.

- We were tired after the journey but we weren't hungry.

- The hotel was very comfortable and it wasn't expensive.

- Where were you at 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon?

- Was the weather good when you were on holiday?

- Those shoes are nice. Were they expensive?

- Why was he angry yesterday?

short answers

Yes, (I/he/she/it) was. (we/you/they) were.

No, (I/he/she/it) wasn’t. (we/you/they) weren’t.

 

- 'Were you late? ' 'No, I wasn't.'

- 'Was Ted at work yesterday?' 'Yes, he was.'

- 'Were they at the party?' 'No, they weren't.'

Revision test

- Put In am/is/are/was/were. Some sentences are present and some are past.

1. Last year she.. was......... 22, so she...... is.......... 23 now.
2. Today the weather............ nice, but yesterday it............ cold.
3. I............ hungry. Can I have something to eat?
4. I............ hungry last night, so 1 had something to eat.
5. Where............ you at 11 o'clock last Friday morning?
6. Don't buy those shoes. They............ too expensive.
7. Why............ you so angry yesterday?
8. We must go now. It............ very late.
9. This time last year I............ in Paris.
10. We............ tired when we arrived home, so we went to bed.
11. Charlie Chaplin died in 1978. He............ a famous film star.
12. 'Where............ the children?' 'I don't know. They............ in the garden ten minutes ago.

- Put in was/wasn't/were/weren't.

1. We didn't like our hotel room. It was.... very small and it wasn’t .... very clean.
2. Kate got married when she................ 24 years old.
3. I phoned you yesterday evening but you................ at home. Where................ you?
4. George................ at work last week because he................ ill. He's better now.
5. The shops................ open yesterday because it................ a public holiday.

6................. you at home at 9.30?' 'No, I.................................. at work.'

Raymond Murphy, Essential Grammar in Use, Cambridge University Press

 

THE PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE

The Past Continuous Tense is used:

to talk about a continuing action at a certain time in the past

At ten o’clock last night I was watching TV.

I saw you last night. You were waiting for a bus.

to talk about an interrupted action in the past

In this case The Past Continuous and the Past Simple tenses are used together in a sentence to say that something happened in the middle of something else.

I was driving along when suddenly a child ran across the road.

While I was doing the ironing, I burnt my hand.

(Just) as I was hanging out the washing, it started to rain.

to talk about action in progress at the same time

While I was reading, Joan was playing the piano.

to talk about actions that happened too often

When I worked there, I was always making mistakes.

to describe the background history or environment when telling the story

It was a warm summer day. The sun was shinning an d the birds were singing.

Positive form

WAS/WERE+ Participle I (verb+ing).

I was reading a book all evening.

You were doing a test at that time.

He/She/It was working at 10 o’clock yesterday morning.

We playing tennis at 7 o’clock last night.

You were having dinner when I came.

They listening to the opera last night.

Exercise 1. Complete the sentences putting the verbs in brackets in the Past continuous Tense.

1. We _____to the radio when it suddenly stopped working.(listen)
2. When I saw them, they _______football.(play)
3. When I got out of the house it_______.(rain)

4. You broke your tooth when you__________walnuts.(eat)

Negative form

Was not (wasn’t)+ Present Participle I (Verb + -ing)

 

I was not doing anything spesial last night.

(wasn’t)

You were not working at that time yesterday afternoon.

(weren’t)

He/She, was not staying at that hotel on Monday.

(wasn’t)

It was not snowing heavily yesterday in the evening.

(wasn’t)

We were not leaving the party when John arrived.

(weren’t)

You were not waiting for the bus when you saw an accident.

(weren’t)

They were not having breakfast when the doorbell rang.

(weren’t)

 

Exercise 2. Use the Past Continuous Tense in the in the sentences below.

Example: I wasn’t listening (not/listen) so I missed what he said.

1. Just as I ________(get) to an interesting part of the story, the telephone rang.
2. When she was younger, she _____(always play) jokes on other people.
3. Yesterday afternoon we____ (not/tidy up) our flat.
4. Pete _______(not/listen) to the lecture; he _______(talking) to his friends.

5. A strong wind ______(blow) right in my face.